Oxtus
Oxtus Varrocken is an entrepreneur, merchant, mage and former banker. Despite living frugally and without a fixed abode, he is one of the most wealthy entrepreneurs in either Misthalin, Asgarnia, or Kandarin. He is also widely regarded as one of the foremost experts in Apotropaic Magic. His younger brother, Edgar, was Captain of the Varrock Royal Guard during the reign of King Nicholas, and now the Misthalinian Ambassador to Asgarnia. Biography Childhood Oxtus was born in North-East Varrock to Roald and Ava Varrocken, his father a merchant specialising in the rune trade. Raised alongside his younger brother, Edgar, they both attended the same school until the age of 16, studying a wide curriculum of academia, elementary magic, physical training and artisanry. Scholarship Upon reaching the age of 16, Oxtus enrolled at the Wizards' Guild in Yanille with an Avarrocka Scholarship, granted to promising young students from Varrock. He also received tutoring in Economics outside the Guild as part of the institution's Polymath Program. In the latter years of his study he researched Apotropaic Magic, where he published his "Encyclopedia of Apotropaic Wards and Weaponry". After the book's completion he settled back in Varrock. Return to Varrock After his graduation, Oxtus was granted employment as Security Ward of the banks of Varrock. He used this time working in the banks to study the economy and management of coin, and henceforth set about acquiring multiple assets key to the infrastructure of the city, in particular establishments such as the Varrock East Bank. By the age of 30, he was controlling the flow of gold in and out of the city like floodgates, and hailed by many as a shrewd manager of coin and insurance policy for the city. His reputation was as a merchant of currency and banking mogul, but his true trade is in the magic that enabled his rise to power. Criminal Activities After gaining a level of notoriety in the Varrock, Oxtus hatched a scheme to acquire hard power alongside the abundant soft power he already possessed. In order to bankroll his plan, he took it upon himself to organise a heist on the Varrock East Bank, stealing from the very customers he was employed to protect through the intricate knowledge of the defences he had himself set up. Able to prove his innocence and the lack of negligence on his part, the Bank of Varrock reimbursed the losses of its customers and Oxtus' reputation remained intact. Soon after, Oxtus organised a raid with the Sicarius on a vault belonging to the Varrock Museum deep within the sewers. Doubting his truthfulness, the gang turned on him, and he only had the time to remove an ancient tome from the chamber before teleporting away, losing an ear to a crossbow bolt in the process. Uninterested in the artefacts of the vault, the Sicarius took with them the remnants of the rune vault door as their loot. Lecturer and Research In the coming days, his brother Edgar, now a Major of the Royal Guard, led a failed militia attack on the Sicarius hideout, barely escaping with his life. Fearing for his safety, Oxtus expedited his plans to leave for the Wizards' Tower in order to research the tome he had acquired in the heist. Delegating his assets to his loyal assistants within each establishment and keeping correspondence via post, he made haste to the Tower with only the clothes on his back and the tome, intent on discovering its secrets. In the meantime, he would offer his services to the Wizards' Tower as a Lecturer in Apotropaic Magic in return for being able to conduct research, as well as attending various classes that interested him in order to broaden his wizardry capabilities. Merchant Guild for Antiques and Treasures Fearing that his criminality would be brought to light due of his animosity with the Sicarius, Oxtus bequeathed all his recent earnings to Misthalin's exchequer, and formally resigned from all executive banking positions. He left the Wizards' Tower once more to pursue the challenge of making back his fortune. He would then found the Merchant Guild for Antiques and Treasures, instating himself as Director. Trivia *Oxtus is a high-functioning alcoholic, and pronounced beer fanatic. *He maintains a keen scholarly interest in ancient religion and its capabilities. *He has likes to keep a paucity of close friendships but for his own brother and a select few others. *He has neglected romance in the past on account of his obsession with business. Category:Characters Category:Humans Category:Scholar Category:Mage Category:Merchant Category:Varrockian Category:Male Category:Modern Magic user